My Favorite Affordable Field Watch Gets a First-of-Its-Kind Remix

California dials fascinate me because they are so unusual and rare, but rarer still are hour markers written in numerals other than Roman or Arabic.

Serica has combined both novelties with the new Ref. 6190 TDM, featuring what the brand claims is the first California dial to use Thai numerals. It is an iteration of the brand’s Ref. 6190 California field watch, which was already my favorite affordable field watch on the market.

Serica Watches

Serica is a watch brand built on the adventurous, inquisitive spirit inherent in world travel. The French watchmaker debuted in 2019 with a unique interpretation of a field watch and has blended elegance with functionality in equal measure ever since.

According to the French watchmaker, the Ref. 6190 TDM, which stands for Thai Domestic Market, honors “Thailand’s distinct relationship with history and modernity.”

The country’s ancient, ornate alphabet should feel out of place to Western eyes on a dial designed to optimize legibility. But the swirling figures at 4, 5, 7 and 8 present a beautiful counterbalance to the angular Roman numerals marking 1, 2, 10 and 11.

Serica Watches

It features the same black enamel dial as the Ref. 6190 Cali, with the hour markers printed in high-domed Super-LumiNova. The broad arrow hour hand, obelisk minute hand and needle seconds hand also match the brand’s standard California.

Everything outside of the dial matches the rest of the Ref. 6190 field watch collection, including a 38mm brushed steel case with a prominent vertically brushed bezel, a broad, unsigned crown and twisted lugs.

Serica Watches

The dial is topped with a 1.8mm-thick double-domed sapphire crystal featuring an inner anti-reflective coating. Ticking away underneath is a COSC-certified Soprod Caliber M100 automatic movement, which beats at 4Hz and offers a 42-hour power reserve.

A smooth track

While overshadowed by the Thai numerals, the swapped hour markers are not the only change made to Serica’s Cali dial. The dash minutes track with broad, lumed markers at the cardinal points is replaced by a ruler-style track with small lume dots adjacent to each hour marker.

The Ref. 6190 TDM comes on Serica’s Bonklip bracelet, which is even lighter than a steel mesh Milanese strap. I’ve had the pleasure of wearing this incredibly comfortable bracelet before, and it is one of the most underrated features offered by the brand.

Availability and pricing

One detail that is unclear is that two versions of the watch are shown in Serica’s marketing images, each featuring a different set of Thai numerals.

The Serica Ref. 6190 TDM is a limited edition of 100 pieces, offered exclusively to the Thai market. I appreciate the brand’s commitment to encouraging travel by not offering it globally online.

It is priced at €1,190 (~$1,385) and, for those who can get one, orders ship out in June 2026.

Serica Watches

Serica Ref. 6190 TDM

Specs

Case Size	38mm
Movement	Soprod Caliber M100 automatic
Water Resistance	200m

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